


double sixer

by GayKravitz



Category: Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Mabel has 12 fingers, Oblivious Ford, Open ended, Pines Dad Wirt, Polydactyly Mabel, Protective Stan, less of an ending more of a “this sounds like theres gonna be another chapter but probably not tbh”, protective dipper, stans pov, unsatisfying ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 05:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15574941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayKravitz/pseuds/GayKravitz
Summary: Mabel and Mason Pines were born on August 31st, 1999.In the craziness of the twins being born, of Dipper being born blue, and of the finding of Dipper’s birthmark, no one noticed the tiny six-fingered fists clutching the pink blanket wrapped around Mabel.





	double sixer

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in 2 hours at 5am and didnt go back to edit it pls forgive me

Mabel and Mason Pines were born on August 31st, 1999.

Mabel was born 5 minutes ahead, punching the doctor that delivered her almost immediately. Mason was born shortly after that, blue in the face from the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.

They seemed to be normal, healthy babies until they spotted the small dots across Mason’s forehead- coincidentally forming the Big Dipper. And thus his life long nickname was brought into light. Mason would be known as Dipper.

In the craziness of the twins being born, of Dipper being born blue, and of the finding of Dipper’s birthmark, no one noticed the tiny six-fingered fists clutching the pink blanket wrapped around Mabel.

Not until Stanford Pines had entered the room, itching to welcome the new Pines twins into the world. He pretended not to choke when he spotted them, soft brown wisps not even covering the red birthmark on Dipper’s forehead and Mabel’s hands hidden inside the pink blanket. No one mentioned his missing twin, but he could feel every pair of eyes on him as he held both babies in each arm.

(He was working on it, he was going to bring the real Stanford back so he could meet his new great niblings. He would make sure of it.)

He whispered promises to make sure they were safe and protected, and smiled when Mabel knocked him in the jaw while she stretched. And then he gasped softly, his eyes going wide at the sight of the six fingered hand retreated back into the blanket.

“Sherm. Shermie.” Stan choked on his words as his older brother turned to him. “Look. Look at Mabel’s hands.”

He did, he gently pulled them from the blanket and counted the fingers. “Twelve. She has polydactyly, like you.” No, not him. He gave himself scars to prove to his family that he got rid of his extra fingers, but he never had them to begin with. He didn’t correct him.

“Wirt, look!” Shermie called his son over, grinning. “Mabel takes after her great uncle.”

Wirt frowned in confusion, moving away from Sara, who was watching with a warm smile. He gasped at the sight of his daughter’s hands, and then a bubble of laughter escaped him. “Oh my god, that’s- that’s incredible. Wow. Sara, oh my god, our kids are incredible.”

His wife laughed and motioned for Stan to come over so she could see, and she grinned as she turned Mabel’s hands over with her fingers. “Wow. That’s amazing.” She pressed her lips to the hand gently, giggling at the small noise her daughter made. “Welcome to the world, Sixer.”

Something in Stan’s throat caught tightly and he made a choking noise. He let Sara take her babies before making a nonspecific excuse as he left the room, already wiping under his glasses. He took a deep breath as he leaned against the wall right outside of the room, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes to prevent any oncoming breakdown.

Shermie joined him shortly, and Stan could just feel the desire to make any mention to his missing twin. He wouldn't have minded, he knew his twin wasn’t dead (He couldn’t be. He wasn’t dead. Stan would bring him back.) but no one else knew this. The tension between the remaining Pines brothers was so thick that Stan almost wanted to bark at Shermie to get on with it, already.

In the end, Shermie just clapped his shoulder. “Mason’ll protect her. I know he will.”

And god, if that didn’t make the (definitely not tears, he just got hand sanitizer in his eyes) tears fall faster. He would make damn sure that Mabel would grow up safe and sound and unashamed of anything about her. It wasn’t the sixties anymore, but Stan knew all too well how vicious kids could be and was already planning on paying for self defense classes for the new twins when they were old enough.

(He did end up buying them both half a year’s worth of boxing classes for their 12th birthday. Neither of them picked it up further after those six months.)

—

The summer that Mabel and Dipper came to visit was more the most eventful 3 months in his life.

It was normal, at first. Well, as normal as Gravity Falls can get. (Which wasn’t a lot, but he didn’t mind as long as no one got hurt.)

Stan watched over Mabel like a hawk. She was ditzy, bubbly, funny, creative, and obnoxious in all the best ways. She never hid her hands, not even when that Northwest brat made fun of her or when anyone openly stared. She took any questions like a champ and smiled at the way Stan was ready to bite down on any teasing for her twelve fingers.

Mabel may have not let teasing get to her, but she also didn’t ever let anyone get away with harassing her for anything. The second Gideon tried to force her to do anything, she fought back. She never backed down from a challenge and never let anyone make her feel lesser and Stan couldn’t be more proud.

That being said, Dipper always had her back, even if she was strong enough to take care of herself. He was always there whenever someone messed with his sister, ready with either a comeback or a fist. He was on the defense for Mabel constantly, yet never fighting back for himself. He also reminded Stan of his own twin so much at times it was dizzying. The conspiracies, the monster hunts, even the way he spouted off about stuff whenever he got passionate.

—

There was a single incident where Stan slipped up. Soos and the twins were just talking in the gift shop while he restocked, the conversation turning to nicknames.

“Dude, how come Dipper gets a nickname but you don’t?” Soos mentioned, making the twins shrug. “Doesn’t really seem fair to me.”

“We could come up with a nickname for her right now.” Dipper suggested, looking his sister over. “Hm. Pig Queen?”

“Nah, that’s too formal.” Mabel said, humming as she tapped her chin. “Dipper’s nickname comes from his birthmark, so mine should come from my pterodactyly!”

“Polydactyly.” Dipper corrected.

“That’s what I said.”

“Dude! Good idea!” Soos told her. “What about… uh… Six Fingers?”

“That’s too on the nose.” Dipper said. “What about just Six?”

“It’s too short for my tastes.” Mabel shook her head. “Rejected!”

“What about Sixer?”

Stan hadn’t realized the words had come out of his mouth until all three of them were staring at him. The room was silent, and Stan turned to look back at them. “What?” He said, laughing and wringing his hands. “It’s not that bad of a nickname.”

“No… it’s not bad, is it?” Mabel hummed and her face split into a silver glinted grin. “I love it! Sixer it is!”

Stan groaned and wondered why he opened his big fat mouth sometimes.

—

“The author of the journals… My brother.”

The real Stanford Pines stood in front of him, scowling something fierce while the broken portal crackled to darkness behind him.

Mabel and Dipper had gasped, Soos fainted, but Stan stood and opened his arms wide, expecting a hug but instead getting a punch to the face.

The fight that broke out had been short lived, Ford apparently had learned how to actually fight in his weird sci-fi dimension. It was broken up by Mabel, waving her arms around and crying out “What the heck is going on?!”

Ford had greeted his niece and nephew with a smile, not even reacting to Mabel’s polydactyl at all when he shook her hand. (Which Stan wasn’t bitter about, no way. He definitely wasn’t hoping to see how excited his brother would be about having more family like him.)

They had dealt with the agents after telling their whole life story, Mabel and Dipper both excited beyond comprehension at their new Grunkle. Ford seemed out of his element with the kids, so he sent them to bed so they could talk.

The argument was bad. It hurt. Stan lied right to his brother’s face in the heat of the argument and he regretted it but if Ford was going to hate him still he would hate him right back.

Ford barely paid any attention to the kids for the next few days. Stan would’ve been lying if he said it was surprising (he had told him to stay away from them) but he was a little upset about Ford not attempting to bond with at least Mabel. He thought his brother would’ve been all over Mabel with their shared polydactyly but he barely said more than a few words to the girl. He could tell this hurt Mabel, every greeting was returned with a short “Hello.” as he left the room as quickly as he came in. He did the same with Dipper, though Stan could tell Ford’s tone was nicer with his nephew than his niece.

Stan didn’t find out the reason until a few days after their DD&MD excursion.

It was a normal day. Ford was sitting at the table, which was unusual but not unwelcome, listening to Dipper go on about an adventure from earlier in the summer. Stan was chewing his under salted eggs with contempt.

“Hey, Sixer, pass the salt, wouldya?”

Both Mabel and Ford went for the salt, stopping when their hands touched. They stared at each other, and blinked. Ford looked somewhat like an owl, before his brows furrowed in confusion. He squinted at Mabel, and then his gaze lowered to her hand that was still outstretched towards the salt shaker.

Stan and Dipper watched this interaction with deep interest, glancing at each other for a second before looking back at the situation before them.

Ford eyes made contact with Mabel’s hand, his pupils moving in a motion that made it obvious in his slow counting of the fingers on his niece’s hand. He gasped sharply and grabbed her hand, bringing it closer to his face. Mabel watched patiently with a smile as he counted again, then counted the other hand.

Stan rolled his eyes and reached for the salt himself.

Ford pressed his own six fingers against Mabel’s, finding they dwarfed his own hand but that didn’t discourage the slowly growing smile. “You have polydactyly?” He murmured, like it was a secret between them.

“You… you didn’t notice before?” Mabel asked, deflating a little.

Ford frowned, having the courtesy to look guilty. “I- I must have missed it.”

Stan stared at Ford with an exasperated look. “You didn’t notice that your own niece had twelve fingers.”

Ford glared at him. “I’ve been busy, Stanley.” He hissed out. “Maybe you should’ve mentioned it before now.”

Stan opened his mouth to retort when Mabel cut in with a nervous laugh. “Let’s bring it down a notch real quick. It’s no ones fault that Grunkle Ford didn’t notice I also have pallydactyly-“

“Polydactyly.” Dipper and Ford corrected at the same time.

“-that’s what I said- because we’ve all been preeeeetty busy, right?” Mabel looked around the table, and everyone kinda nodded in agreement. “Right. That being said! Grunkle Ford I’m a little teeny itty bitty... hurt… that you didn’t notice…” Mabel rubbed her arm with a shy smile. Stan frowned, ready to back Mabel up, when Ford sighed.

“I’m sorry, Mabel, I should’ve noticed earlier. Can I make it up to you by inviting you to join me and Dipper on our next research outing?” Ford asked, smiling.

“Uh, doi, I’m gonna come! Me and Dipdop aren’t the Mystery Twins for no reason!” Mabel grinned.

“Yeah!” Dipper agreed with a grin. “Oh man, this is gonna be great!”

“Wait a second.” Mabel held a hand up, pausing the conversation. “Grunkle Ford, if you’re Sixer, and I’m Sixer, how are we gonna tell each other apart?”

Ford blinked. “By our names and appearances?” Stan had half a mind to elbow him.

“No, silly! Obviously one of us has to change our nickname!” Mabel stood up in her chair. “I’m the youngest Sixer, so I’ll be the one to change.” She put a hand to her heart and took a knee. Stan smiled at her dramatics. “Dipper! Any suggestions?”

“Uh- Uhm-“ Dipper, caught entirely off guard, struggled to find an idea. “Six- Six… Sixer… Sixest?”

“Ugh, no. That sounds awful.” Mabel stuck out her tongue and Dipper frowned but shrugged. “Grunkle Stan! You created the Sixer nickname, any ideas?”

Stan hummed. “How about Sixer Jr.?”

“No way. I’m not a junior anything.” Mabel shook her head. Ford was looking thoroughly amused by Mabel, until she looked to him. “Sixer original, what do you think?”

“Me?” Ford frowned in thought. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been good with nicknames myself.”

“Come on, guys! Someone’s gotta have a good idea! We can’t both be Sixer!” She frowned and fell back onto her chair with a huff.

“I don’t mind if we are, Mabel.” Ford smiled at his niece, who looked up at him. “I haven’t ever really met anyone else like me, so I really wouldn’t mind if you also call yourself Sixer. It’s just a silly childhood nickname anyways, it fits you much better.” Ford didn’t look at Stan when he said this, but it still felt like a punch to the gut.

“Really?” Mabel grinned, leaning towards Ford, who nodded. “Awesome! We can both be Sixer!”

Ford chuckled. “Yes we can.”

“Sixers! Sixers! Sixers! Sixers!” Mabel began chanting, getting out of her seat and stomping in time with the chant out of the kitchen. Dipper followed along, laughing, and Ford followed shortly after them.

Stan sighed roughly and went back to eating his now over salted eggs.

**Author's Note:**

> gaykravitzart.tumblr.com


End file.
